EFL Teachers
5 articles filed under this keyword.
Kurdish EFL Students’ Perceptions of the Merits and Shortcomings of Native and Non-native English-Speaking Teachers at the University of Duhok
Vian M. Poulis, Sabrin Ali Ramadhan
This study aims to find the merits and shortcomings of Native English-Speaking Teachers and Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers in teaching listening and speaking courses through gender and group analysis across five dimensions: teacher’s personality traits, professionalism, pedagogical approach, cultural competence, and linguistic competence. To achieve this aim, a descriptive survey design was employed using a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 100 students, whereas qualitative insights were obtained from semi-structured interview with 10 students. All participants enrolled were third-year students in the Department of English Language, College of Basic Education, University of Duhok. The research collected both quantitative and qualitative data from participants of both genders who belonged to three different Groups. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS 24 to calculate percentage, Chi-square tests, and significance values (p), while thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. The findings show that both types of teachers have their own strengths; Native English-Speaking Teachers are more effective in pronunciation and natural fluency, while Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers are more effective in grammar and structural clarity. However, the contradiction between questionnaire results and interview insights reveal that students have different attitudes towards the two types of teachers, which are influenced by the clarity of instruction and the accessibility of communication. Implications for teacher training and curriculum development are discussed.
Volume 12 · Issue 6 · December 2025Challenges of Using AI in Teaching EFL at the University of Duhok
Mousa Hussein Mousa, Lureen Ibrahim Naser
The potential of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning is invested in to a significant extent, which yields tangible progress in language teaching, testing, and learning. The use of AI in EFL education, however, is faced with certain challenges and specific barriers. This study aims to investigate the opinions of EFL instructors on these challenges and barriers. This research employs both qualitative and quantitative research strategies, which include interview sessions and a survey questionnaire, with 42 EFL teachers from the departments of English in colleges of Basic Education and Languages at the University of Duhok. The results showed that EFL teachers identify key challenges to AI adoption, including a lack of training, limited institutional support, and unreliable internet connections. Additionally, many teachers express concerns about the costs, the lack of sufficient computers, and the absence of clear guidelines for implementation. These barriers have notably hindered the practical integration of AI in the EFL classroom, limiting teachers' ability to apply new technologies and preventing a full understanding of AI’s potential to support personalized instruction and interactive learning environments. These findings offer valuable insights into methods that help EFL teachers increase their awareness of AI, enabling them to understand how AI can be effectively introduced into EFL practice without fear of failure.
Volume 11 · Issue 3 · June 2024Efficiency of Deductive and Inductive Approaches to Teaching English Grammar:
Abbas Zubair Malla, Neamat Majeed Abbo
The necessity of grammar, how it is taught and how much it should be incorporated into language teaching remain matters of discussion in most ELT classes. Considering this fact, knowing teachers' beliefs towards teaching grammar is significantly beneficial for researchers. Thus, this research studied English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' beliefs towards teaching grammar in deductive and inductive approaches in the Sunrise curriculum in Duhok high schools. The study used a mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative) strategy for data gathering and analysis. The participants were EFL teachers of Duhok governorate high schools. The results showed that Duhok EFL teachers of Sunrise curriculum preferred using an inductive approach to teaching but they use the deductive approach because of some reasons such as the time of the lesson, number of students in a class, etc. This study might help EFL instructors employ appropriate approaches to teaching in the classroom.
Volume 10 · Issue 4 · December 2023Teachers’ Perceptions Associated with Student Considerations in The Flipped Learning Model
Abubakir Muhammad Mahmood
This study explored primary school teachers' opinions on the effects of Flipped Learning (FL) depending on the grade level and subject matter taught in an EFL environment in Kurdistan. Teachers of a Bradost Private School in Raniyah participated in the study. Data were gathered by using a survey tool borrowed and modified by the researcher. 18 teachers participated randomly. Consequently, due to the additional technology needed outside of the classroom, the participants thought that certain students could find it challenging to access. The results show that the mean scores in the area of parent involvement and parent or teacher conferences, the participants strongly agreed that in an FL, video lectures make the class more transparent to parents, and they also believed that discussions with parents focused more on learning than they do on classroom behavior. Accordingly, they believed that time created for in-class activities in the FL allowed for more active learning and increased higher-order thinking for students, based on the following construct mean scores, with instructional considerations in the FL, in the areas of personalized learning, pupils to teacher interaction, active learning, and time for learning. They believe that FL gave teachers more time to improve and tailor education for students. Additionally, they cited favorable opinions of flipped learning in comparison to traditional classrooms.
Volume 10 · Issue 1 · March 2023Teachers' Perspectives towards the Implementation of Assessment for Learning at University Level
Sirwan Abdulrahman Mahmud, Mahabad Izaddin M. Amin
Assessment for learning (AFL) is an approach to teaching and learning that creates feedback to improve students' performance. Students become more involved in the learning process and gain confidence in what they are expected to learn and to what standard. The present study is a quantitative study that aims to investigate university EFL teachers' perspectives of assessment for learning approach and identify the challenges teachers face when implementing AfL. Also, three research questions are addressed: (1) To what extent do English language teachers use assessment for learning in their classes? (2) What are the teachers' perspectives on Assessment for Learning in developing EFL learning? And (3) What challenges do EFL teachers face when implementing AFL? To answer the research questions, the study used a 25-item questionnaire (Modified of Colby, D. C. 2010). The questionnaire was distributed to 102 EFL teachers at three public universities in Erbil: Salahaddin (55 teachers), Soran (34 teachers) and Koya Universities (13 teachers). The data was analyzed using SPSS Software. Despite some varied challenges and difficulties EFL teachers face in implementing the AfL approach in the classes, generally, the results show that university teachers have a positive perspective toward implementing AfL as a teaching and learning approach. It is recommended that it is necessary to arrange and implement teacher-training sessions and workshops to improve teacher' grasp of the current AFL approach.